Dear Shaded Viewers,
Druid chic hit the catwalk in Vienna last week when a gaggle of would-be dryads stumbled and pranced out in costumes made of tree bark, leaves, twigs, weeds, moss, etc. They were quickly attacked by villainous models who tore apart their organic get-ups as a wacky environmental statement about corporate deforestation.
The show was sponsored by the National Parks of Austria and the natural, leafy splendors of each park was represented by short films shown in segments during the runway show. The clothes–jackets and dresses made from 1960s parachutes, outerwear made from army blankets and tarpaulins–were designed by KM/A, the Vienna-based design team of Katha Harrer and Michael Elinger.
The bark man cometh.
“I dance like the wiiiind!!”
I loved the leaf lady and actually my favorite thing about this show was the smell of the leaves that she spread all over the runway and that were stomped on by the other models. The fragrance was wonderful and you just don’t smell leaves like that in New York City and even many rural parts of America because they absorb so much pollution. I found out later that the leaves were common hornbeam. I took a branch off the runway and brought it back to my suite.
Austrians and Scandinavians who hunt are not the benighted gun-crazed mental defectives we have in the U.S., so I was fine with the use of an antler on this handbag. I’m sure the animal was turned into some delicious gamey sausage.
Making the nature scene.
Unleash the wild wheat woman!
Thanks for reading.
Leafy love,
Glenn Belverio
